Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débâcler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débâcler. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb débâcler is “to collapse” or “to fail.” The infinitive form of débâcler is pronounced as [dey-bah-kley].

Débâcler is derived from the noun “bâcle,” which means “obstacle” or “blockage.” The prefix “dé-” intensifies the meaning of the verb, giving it the sense of a sudden and complete collapse or failure. In everyday French, débâcler is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of débâcler in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque fois qu’il jouait au football, l’équipe débâclait.
    (Every time he played football, the team would collapse.)

  2. Pendant la crise économique, de nombreuses entreprises débâclaient.
    (During the economic crisis, many companies were collapsing.)

  3. Quand il était jeune, il débâclait souvent ses projets.
    (When he was young, he would often fail in his projects.)

Please note that these translations are approximate, as the choice of English verb may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débâcler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débâclais Je débâclais souvent. I used to fail often.
tu débâclais Tu débâclais tes projets. You used to fail your projects.
il débâclait Il débâclait régulièrement. He used to fail regularly.
elle débâclait Elle débâclait ses relations. She used to fail her relationships.
on débâclait On débâclait tout le temps. We used to fail all the time.
nous débâclions Nous débâclions nos plans. We used to fail our plans.
vous débâcliez Vous débâcliez souvent. You used to fail often.
ils débâclaient Ils débâclaient leurs objectifs. They used to fail their goals.
elles débâclaient Elles débâclaient leurs efforts. They used to fail their efforts.

Other Conjugations for Débâcler.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcler

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the débâcler imparfait tense conjugation! 

Débâcler – About the French Imparfait Tense

The French imparfait tense, often called the imperfect tense in English, is used to describe actions or states in the past. It’s primarily used to provide background information, set the scene, or describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation of the Imparfait Tense

To form the imparfait tense in French, you typically take the present tense nous form of the verb, drop the -ons ending, and add specific endings based on the verb group (regular -er, -ir, -re verbs) or use irregular forms for certain verbs.  

For regular -er verbs:

Take the infinitive form (e.g., parler, finir, rendre) Remove the -er ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient 

For regular -ir verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., choisir, grandir, finir) Remove the -ir ending Add the imparfait endings: -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient 

For regular -re verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., vendre, attendre, entendre) Remove the -re ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Description of Past Habits

The imparfait is often used to describe habitual actions or situations in the past. For example: “Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais au football tous les jours.” (When I was a child, I used to play football every day.) 

Background Information

It’s used to provide background information or set the stage for a main event in the past. For instance: “Il faisait beau ce jour-là.” (The weather was nice that day.) 

Mental and Emotional States

It’s employed to express emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations in the past. For example: “J’étais content quand il est arrivé.” (I was happy when he arrived.) 

Ongoing Actions

The imparfait describes actions that were in progress or happening when something else occurred in the past. For instance: “Je lisais un livre quand le téléphone a sonné.” (I was reading a book when the phone rang.)

Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense

Passé Composé vs. Imparfait

The imparfait and passé composé (a compound past tense) are often used together to express the completion of an action in the past (passé composé) and provide context or background (imparfait). For example: “Il regardait la télévision quand son ami est arrivé.” (He was watching TV when his friend arrived.) 

Conditional

The imparfait is used as the base for forming the conditional mood in French. For instance, “Je mangerais” (I would eat) is formed from “je mangeais” (I was eating). 

Si Clauses

In hypothetical or “if” clauses (si clauses), the imparfait is often used to express a condition in the past. For example: “Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une nouvelle voiture.” (If I had money, I would buy a new car.) 

Narration

In storytelling or writing, the imparfait is frequently used to set the scene and describe ongoing actions while the passé composé is used for specific events or actions that interrupted the ongoing ones.
Understanding the French imperfect tense is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, your conversations will always live in the present!

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb débâcler. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply